Name
Percy Short
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
18/04/1918
19
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
203113
Royal Scots Fusiliers
6th/7th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
PLOEGSTEERT MEMORIAL
Panel 4
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Rickmansworth Urban District Memorial,
St. Peter’s Church Memorial, Mill End,
St. Peter's C & E Primary School Memorial, Mill End,
John Dickinson & Co Memorial, Croxley Mill, Croxley Green
Pre War
In 1911 Percy, aged 12, lived with his parents, William and Alice and seven siblings at 1 Pretoria Cottages, Church Lane, Mill End. William was a brewer’s labourer.
Percy was born on 20 July 1898 and baptised at St Peter’s Mill End on 21 September 1898. He attended St Peter’s school. William was born in Chalfont, Bucks and Alice in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire. The family had also lived in Harefield and West Hyde.
The army paid his mother £36 2s 8d after his death including a war gratuity of £16 10s. She lived at 48 Church Lane, Mill End after the war. Two of Percy’s older brothers, Albert and Norman, were also killed in the war.
Recorded as enlisting in Hertford.
Wartime Service
Private Percy Short 6th/7th Royal Scots Fusiliers (Pioneers) (59th Div). Previously 7237 Northumberland fusiliers.
During March 1918, Percy’s battalion had been continuously in the front line attempting to resist the German Spring Offensive near Vaulx-Vraucort, east of Bapaume. At the beginning of April the battalion moved to Ypres and relieved the 18th Middlesex Pioneers at Middlesex Camp. They mounted working parties to repair shell damage to infrastructure such as railway tracks.
By 15 April the battalion was defending the front line near Bailleul. On 17 April 100 rifles from ‘A’ company were placed at the disposal of 100th Infantry Brigade for a counterattack which took place that night. There were 20 casualties. Percy may have been one.
Additional Information
Brother of Private Norman Short who was killed in action on 18 Mar 1916 and of Private Albert Ernest Short who was killed in action on 13 Nov 1916 and all commemorated on this memorial.
A more complete biography for the Short brothers can be found at www.hertsatwar.co.uk/archive/hertfordshire-men-women-individuals-stories/short-brothers-their-story.
Acknowledgments
Malcolm Lennox, Brian Thomson, Gary Short
